by Kyle Perkins
Looking over my shoulder one last time, I see no one in the center as I turn to the awaiting meadow, and run.
My padded steps are light as I break through the tree line into the color-filled greenery. I catch my breath as I take in the beauty that surrounds me. The small river running through the meadow glistens from the star, casting delicate crystals of light across its surface. As I move closer, I am captivated by the simplicity of it.
Without care for the rules, I take a step into the water, my dress cascading around me as it absorbs the stream. With only my feet wet, I stare down to my distorted reflection.
“Is this what I was supposed to do?” I begin to wonder if I was meant to be everything Ricon had been told. Maybe he lied to me. What if I was the only person that would listen to him?
Kicking at the water, I step back to the greenery. I love the feeling of the green below my feet. My clothes cling to my legs as I walk back towards the opening to the trees. The animals soaring above me begin to sing again.
My attention is lost to the bluffs, high above the meadow. Memories of the cell I was in and the view of the meadow, my meadow, from the bluff flood my vision. Something is different. The iridescent glow from the trees doesn’t go unnoticed. A threat has been alerted, but there is no movement from the cave land.
I am lost to my empathy. I can’t allow anyone else to be captive to the torture within. Can I?
My body acts on its own without regard for my own safety. Crawling over fallen trees, near-misses with the blood drops, and no injuries, I avoid being caught by the people and the natural defense within our home. My people must have encased whatever is in the cave; that is the only way Garret would’ve known I was out. I need to see what or who is deserving of that torture.
As I move closer to the cave, my senses are on high alert. I can feel something is wrong. Fear races through me, unwarranted at this moment as I sense no real danger. The animals have scattered and the tree buds have closed. Whatever is near the cave, it isn’t good, but it isn’t a threat to me… yet.
The opening to the cave is as dark as it was the moment I had left it. I peer through the branches and constant cover of leaves in search of something that wasn’t there before.
Him.
Tied to a stake that is buried deep in the ground, I see him. His body is unclothed and covered in soot and fire powder. His shoulders rise and fall with each breath he consumes. I can’t help but watch as he readjusts against his restraints. He looks like one of us, but his skin is lighter than mine and his hair is cut much shorter.
I want to talk to him, ask him questions, but there are guards surrounding him. Nearby, I notice a face-covering of some sort. The clothing discarded to the side must be his, explaining his lack of coverings. The cloths are much different from ours. They seem chunky and cumbersome; no wonder he got himself caught.
Maybe he is one of the Hardez people. They have kept to themselves, until now.
Three of our people stand at the entrances from the woods; they are of Vaklarn. Falling behind a nearby bush, I start to wonder how I am going to get past them. This may be a sign for me to go home. I should come clean and admit to my reason to flee. If I told my father the truth maybe he would forgive me without punishment.
Surrendering to my own demise, I move to leave the man who is sure to be burned alive, based on the coating on his skin.
He begins to talk. I don’t understand a word of his plea. I can hear the distress in his voice but I have never heard the language. I watch his mouth, waiting for something to make sense. The words roll off his tongue with such grace that I am captivated by the sounds. The guards have lost interest in him, although I can’t turn away. He wants to be heard, and no-one is listening.
“There is no point in trying, I don’t know why he keeps this up.” I recognize Yeuen as he makes his way across the bluff towards the other guards. “Why are we stuck here? I am hungry and there was nothing left for us.”
The others agree in unison, as I continue to watch as the man throws his head back against the stake.
“Let’s hunt; he’s not going anywhere.”
The guards disappear into the woods across from me. I watch as they grab hold of the vines of the trees, climbing them in haste. As the third vine is released, I know I have very little time to act.
“Who are you?” I stay hidden, not wanting him to know where I am.
He shakes his head with a smile on his face. He responds with his native tongue, expecting me to understand.
I don’t have time for this. I need to know why I felt a need to come here. I was drawn to this exact place; the place that I have dreaded coming to for as long as I can remember. Now, I find myself unable to leave.
Standing to my full height, I abandon my anonymity to collect on my answers. It doesn’t take long for him to see me but I refuse to show fear. I won’t look at him while I slowly step towards him. He doesn’t move to fight or attack, leaving me thankful for his self-control.
Staring at the kindling gathered around, I stand directly in front of him. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I grip on to the stone in my pocket for strength.
When I do look to him, I am unable to blink. I am met with eyes of the fleur. Yellow.
“Who are you?” my voice is quiet, even to me.
He doesn’t blink, only tilts his head to the covering that lies in the dirt at my feet.
Afraid of what it will do, I reach for it. The metal is cold to the touch, but lighter than I had expected. I look back to him and he nods.
Uncertainty plagues me as I step forward never breaking eye contact. He leans forward slightly, giving me the room I need to put it on. As soon as I do, I quickly back away.
His eyes move back and forth in search of something that I can’t see.
“I am the only one left.” I have no idea what to say anymore. Questions flooded my head moments ago, and now I am speechless.
Finally, he faces me again. “I have no fucking idea what you are saying without this. I told the old man that,” he sounds frustrated as his eyes focus on me.
“I didn’t know. I don’t know anything about you.” I try to ease his anger before I continue. Confusion crosses his face as I stare at him.
He speaks before I can, “Why are you here?”
I look to the opening of the cave, tilting my head in its direction, mocking his gesture for his head covering.
“Ah, the cave. I guess that makes two of us.” He shakes his head. “You must be the girl that they went looking for.”
I nod slowly, knowing that Garret and my father were looking for me. I hope they don’t return anytime soon.
“I told the older guy—”
“My father.”
“Sure, your father,” he says, mocking me. “Whatever, I told him that I didn’t mean any harm. Aside from the secrets of your cave, I don’t want much more than to coexist.”
Secrets of the cave?
“I…”
“Just stop,” he interrupts me, “I already went through all of this with your father. There is no way that you will be able to protect yourself from us – or them. I certainly am no threat to you.”
Before he can continue, I agree with him, “I know.”
The reasons aren’t necessary. I know he isn’t a threat; I can feel it. His concern for our safety is creating a mess of my emotions as I listen to his fear for us.
“You don’t get it. They are going to come and they are going to inhabit this planet whether you like it or not. I can stop them; they will listen to me. Fuck, none of your people will listen and it will be the end of your kind because of it!” His head drops towards the ground as the words that affect me the most leave his lips, “You will all die. I can at least try to prevent it.”
Reaching down to the bottom of my white dress, I start ripping away pieces of the damp cloth. He watches as the dress I was given is being destroyed by my own hand. I move closer to him; he carefully eyes me as I kneel beside him. I r
each up towards his face.
“What are you doing? I need my helmet to communicate. Why don’t any of you understand that?”
Saying nothing, I smile. He stills long enough for me to pull it from his body. I place it over his lap.
The strips of my dress are still wet from the river. I fold the first carefully, reaching for his face. He jumps back slightly.
“Shhh. It’s ok.” He doesn’t understand me but I am hoping he figures it out.
Slowly, I inch closer. Placing my hand on his face, I begin wiping the dried powder with my dress. He relaxes as I show no threat to him, either.
The blackened strips land in a pile as I clean his face. When I finish, I reach for his helmet, careful not to look at his body, and place it back on his head. “Is that better…?”
I don’t know what to call him.
His eyes scan the area around me as he did the first time he put the helmet on. I watch as he focuses back on me.
“I’ll be right back.” I turn to the trees and run.
The path to the spring is shorter than the path to my home and I need to find him something. I follow the opening of the oasis much faster this time than earlier. Everything seems clearer than before, making it easier for me to navigate through the woodland.
I need to show him that I am of no threat. I know he is telling no lies. Finding my discarded cloth from earlier, I rip the fabric from multiple sides. I pull a thorn from the stem of a flower and begin. I push the thorn through different parts of the fabric, creating holes along the tears. Once I have finished threading the vine through the openings and tying off the ends, I grab the cloth and head back to… I still don’t know his name.
Before I go, I soak my dress in the spring water and run back to him.
The guards still haven’t returned when I do. Thankful for their absence, I slowly move to him, holding out the newly made clothing for him. I can feel my cheeks flush as he moves to stand. I quickly make my way behind him, not wanting to see his naked parts. I have avoided it so far with any man, I’d like to continue to not see it.
He stands much taller than I had expected. His hands, tied behind his back, brush against my stomach as I move closer to help dress him. His fists ball at the first touch. I hold the pants out for him to step into. Pulling them to his hips, he crouches back down without a word.
He knows I can hear him and I know he understands me, but there is no need for words. I only want him to know that I don’t intend to harm him.
“What are you?” He may have intended to say, who. This makes me laugh.
“Do you mean, who are you?” I look to his eyes before grabbing another strip of my dress and wiping the cloth down his arm.
He grins, “No. I mean, what are you? You are nothing like the assholes that found me earlier.”
I smile at the names he has for my people and the way he says them. “What shall I call you?” I need to know who I am dealing with before it is too late.
“Captain Wind… Orrin. Call me Orrin.” His stare intensifies as I finish cleaning the tips of his fingers.
Moving to the other side of him, I listen for the guards that have yet to check on him.
“I will.” I tear another strip away from me, as I finish his other arm. Before I reach for his chest, I look to him with raised eyebrows. He only nods. Most of the tar was on his face and arms, making his body easier to wipe clean.
Collecting the dirty rags, I make a small pile away from Orrin and the flammable spill surrounding him. I find the rocks that I needed and start hitting them against each other. Not long after a spark lands on the pile, igniting a flame. Turning back to Orrin, I see he is scanning the tree-line with a look of concern in his features.
With a tilt of my head I give him the directions he will need. “I must leave. If anyone asks, tell them I did this to you. You will need me in order to stay alive.”
I wring out my dress over the fire, extinguishing it as he asks, “Before you go, what do I call you?”
Walking towards him to answer, I lean over him, pulling his helmet from his head, placing it in the dirt where I found it and I whisper, “Aya.”
People are coming, I can hear them before they are close enough to catch me. I have to make a decision based on the man I found tied to a stake, based on the threat that nature saw in him, and based on the hope that he isn’t lying to me.
The decision isn’t a difficult one to make. I follow the path sure to take me to the only person that can help me – my father.
The closer I am to the center, the louder his speech becomes. He is already doing exactly what I intended to stop.
“I have gathered you here today, because we have a threat to our people. My daughter is missing. Her well-being is of the utmost importance to me. The people from the stars have kidnapped her. We will fight and we will win.”
I am shocked at the encouraging response that he is receiving. He wants to risk he lives of our own people to fight against a threat that we know nothing about. There is only one person that can help us and my father is ready to condemn him to death.
“Wait!” I have to stop this.
Heads turn as the whispers start. Everyone stares at me in my torn clothing and dirt-covered limbs. I can hear the assumptions that I was beaten, tortured, and somehow escaped.
“I was not taken by the star people. I am fine.”
Garret comes to my side unexpectedly, gripping my elbow much harder than needed. Taking a deep breath, I follow along with him to the center. Shaking my arm from Garret’s aggression, I push away from him.
My father reaches for my hand as we approach, guiding me to the pedestal.
“We can’t go to war, father. We are sure to lose.”
He looks through me to Garret, now standing on my right.
“Sir, As I have already explained to you, I respect your daughter’s opinion, and Aya is full of them, but this is a war for life; for protection of not only our people, but Redisia.
“You make a valid claim, Garret. We will fight.”
I don’t need the stone in my pocket to tell me that I am making the right decision. I can feel myself burning from the inside out. My blood flows hotter than ever before, and I am destined to do something great. My mother was taken too soon and I refuse to be left unheard. They will listen or I will be the war that they will face
“Stop this!” my voice booms through the center, echoing off of the rocks. “I refuse to let you put more of our people in danger without knowing your enemy.” I walk to the pedestal to address the Vaklarn people. “You can decide what you think is best, but we have a source of information that my father is neglecting to use. If he won’t do everything to protect you and your safety, then I will. I am begging you to think about what you are doing. You are willing to go to war, risk more lives, and say goodbye to the people you love, for what?”
I can’t finish my speech before I know what I have done and what I have to do. Turning to my father and Garret, I choose to punish myself.
“I will be in the cave.” Slowly walking through the parting crowd, I stop. “And call off your guards. He is stronger than you think and I don’t need them.”
I don’t wait for an answer before I disappear into the shadows.
Chapter 9
Orrin
The words from their settlement drift over to me; some of it is distorted by the trees so it is not entirely clear, but I get the gist of it. Sounds like Aya is trying to urge them to do the right thing, and it sounds like she was overruled. Fucking great.
As I wait for the others to return and inevitably kill me, I can’t help but wonder why the woman has chosen to help me, or why she is so important to them. Her words seem to hold weight with her people, much like mine do with my people, so why is she being punished? It goes against the natural order of things. If the people love her, why do they not rally around her?
The only thing I can come up with is that they are afraid of her father and the men that surround him. Are t
hese people hostages under a terrible regime?
Thoughts race through my mind, questioning and analyzing everything. When you’re attached to the device of your demise, you have plenty of time to think, and you get a lot done quickly. Impending doom can really speed things up.
I think to snap the post and quickly scramble for my suit, but there are just too many of them. I would die anyway. I could take out maybe twenty, but there are hundreds here, and I don’t have a desire to kill these people. The more time I spend among them, the more I feel we are in the wrong for coming here. Our ancestors made these mistakes when traveling to far off lands and conquering their people, and I feel like we are just reliving history. History we should have learned from.
I would just accept my fate if I were the last of us here, but I’m not, and unless I can reach my men, they will turn this area into a smoldering wasteland. These people are too primitive to understand their fate. Too comfortable in being the most powerful entity in their world. I admire their bravery, but their ignorance will kill them. They are so much like us that it’s scary.
Once the commotion around me settles, the old man and his two guards begin their approach towards me. With spears in hand, they don’t look like they are in any mood to talk. I’m guessing the pep talk from Aya embarrassed their king, and he is probably going to take that anger out on me.
As he gets closer, I tilt my head up towards the sky. I reminisce on what I know of our home world, and the journey that brought us here. The people I love, and the mission. Their footsteps get closer, and I see tiny little purple dots come into my vision. Little spores or dander in the air, and it looks beautiful. Like stars in the night sky, dancing and putting on a final show for me.
Part of me wonders if this is just the fear that death puts into every man, and I am hallucinating. As I turn my gaze forward to face my impending threat, head-on, my suspicions are confirmed. I am no longer where I was.
I am now standing in the center of a flowery meadow, with gnarled trees covered in violet leaves all around me. There is no longer pressure of binds on my hands and I pull them out in front of me to make sure this is real.
